The Thought That Counts
by Churro
Summary: Chymerial's birthday is tomorrow and Sharak has yet to find her a gift. Will he succeed in getting her the perfect gift?
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: Square Enix owns everything.**

* * *

><p><strong>The Thought That Counts - Chapter 1<strong>

Another day, another quest completed. Sharak entered Lower Jeuno so exhausted that he nearly collapsed, drawing much attention from the nearby adventurers.

"Ah man, why the hell did I agree to go on such a dangerous quest? But still…" Sharak said while digging into his pocket, "the gil was well worth it. Jeunoans have been the target of many thieves seeking precious heirlooms to be sold on the Beastmen black market, they're just willing to pay any price."

Regaining his composure, Sharak crossed the Market Bridge to his favorite retreat, The Merry Minstrel. He wasn't surprised to see the place was packed, as well it should be. He was partly responsible for its success after it nearly went out of business, having helped the owner during a delivery strike which stopped all shipments of exotic goods. He waded through the crowd and took his seat in the usual spot, a dimly lit corner near the stage where he was greeted by Yoskolo, the barkeep.

"Sharak! Good to see you again! What can I get for you today?" asked Yoskolo.

"Hey Yosk, I'll have the usual," replied Sharak, smiling.

"Coming right up," said Yoskolo, returning to the bar.

Sharak turned to the stage and saw the Mithran bard, Tuh Almobankha, a renowned harpist. Being a former bard, he taught her the secret arts of the job, Troubadour and Nightingale, allowing her to become even more accomplished. Travelers and fledgling bards flocked from all of Vana'diel to watch her. Even the mysterious dancer Lilisette took to the stage during one of Tuh's performances. He and Tuh became great friends after he helped save the Merry Minstrel.

Sharak smiled at Tuh while she played, and with a wave, she grinned at him while continuing her mazurka. She ended her song a few minutes later, the crowd in the tavern roaring with applause while Tuh and her accompaniment bowed gracefully and left the stage.

"Come back again soon, we always enjoy perrrforrrming for our customerrrs!" said Tuh, winking coyly at the crowd as they returned to their tables, engaged in raucous conversation with one another.

"Sharak! It's grrreat to see you around!" exclaimed Tuh, placing an arm on his shoulder after taking her seat.

"Same here! I see you're still drawing in quite the crowd! I'm glad this old place has come around," said Sharak, glancing around the tavern.

"Hehe, thanks! So what brrrings you arrround?" she asked as she giggled, placing her hands behind her head and leaning back.

"Oh, you know, the same ol'... completing quests for fame and fortune, going on missions to save the world from ragnarök and apocalypse! After all that, I've got to stop by the best spot in Jeuno to relax," he said, taking a sip of his amrita.

"You adventurers really live the drrream, huh? Exploring far off shorrres, meeting new people, it's the life I've always drrreamed of..." she said, sighing to herself.

"I admire your passion, but it's really not all it's cracked up to be," he replied.

"What do you mean?" she asked, taking a gulp from a frothy mug filled with persikos au lait.

"Well... it's a dangerous life, the one of an adventurer. Your life is always up to chance on the battlefield. Traveling with a party isn't any easier, either, you always worry whether or not everyone will make it back safely. But sometimes, some things are more important than all of that," he said with another sip.

"Oh? Like what?" she asked, curious of his answer.

"Like following your heart! Making your dreams come true," he exclaimed, grinning at her.

Tuh giggled at his answer, shifting in her seat while strumming the strings of her harp.

"But on the bright side, exploring is always fun. Sometimes you get to see something so breathtaking that it can change your life," he said, taking in a big gulp of the amrita.

"Oh? You mean like Chymerrrial?" she asked, grinning roguishly at Sharak.

Sharak choked on his drink, stumbling from his seat as he coughed violently. Surrounding patrons stared for a moment before returning to their conversations.

"What do you mean?" he asked, embarrassed by her accusation.

"Just a lucky guess. And Yoskolo," she answered, "he told me that you opened up about Chymerrrial after some drinks a few nights back. About how her smile makes your knees buckle, and how her kindness makes your stomach queasy. How pretty she is..." she continued, smiling to herself.

Sharak's face reddened as she went on, almost as brightly as his Duelist's armor.

"Did I really say that?" he asked quietly.

"Oh, yeah... you were quite fuddled when you told Yosk how you feel about her. It's sweet, though, you know... in that Sharrrak sort of way," she said, continually strumming the strings of the harp.

"Heh... Chymerial knows how I feel about her, so it's no secret I guess," he replied, blushing to himself while causing Tuh to gasp loudly.

"Oh, rrreally? What did you say?" she asked as she dropped her harp to the table, intrigued.

"Yeah... I didn't exactly express how I truly feel, but I told her that I really care about her," he answered.

"Will you ever tell herrr?" she asked, desperate to hear his answer.

"If I ever get the chance to, I will," he replied.

"I rrreally hope you get that chance, she needs to know! I'm sure it'll happen soon! She'll see what a grrreat guy you are, Sharak," she said, placing a hand on his shoulder as she finished her drink.

As they finished their drinks, Sharak turned and noticed the door opening. Kedamonah, Kuula, Unctgtg, and Chymerial were walking into the Merry Minstrel. He couldn't help staring at Chymerial as she walked toward a table. Tuh, noticing his attention wandering, stared into the direction he was.

"So, that is Chymerrrial! She's quite beautiful!" said Tuh, nudging Sharak with her elbow.

"Huh? Oh, yeah! She really is..." said Sharak, sighing to himself.

.

Chymerial and her friends sat down at a table on the other side of the tavern, talking and laughing quietly amongst the crowd of noisy adventurers. They decided on their order, and Chymerial climbed up from the table, walking toward the bar where Yoskolo was busy entertaining foreign guests. Sharak hurriedly grabbed Tuh by her shoulder and shifted her in her seat, hiding behind her.

"Sharrrak... what are you doing?" asked Tuh, bewildered.

He continued to move Tuh further in her seat as to block Chymerial's line of sight, staying hidden until she brought her group's order to their table.

"Sorry, Tuh, I just didn't want her to spot me," he explained, settling back into his seat.

"Huh? Why not?" she asked, fixing the cushion on her chair and sitting again.

"Well, we haven't seen each other in days, and I've been trying to find the perfect present for her. I decided I wouldn't see her until I had a present for her upcoming birthday," he explained.

"Her birrrthday? Is it soon?" she asked, staring over at Chymerial's table.

"Yeah…" he answered, "it's tomorrow. Believe me, I've been trying to find the perfect gift for her."

"What did you have in mind? Maybe I can help!" she happily exclaimed.

"Well, I tried growing an Elshimo Pachira for her using tree cuttings. It was growing well until I realized the fruit was poisonous, and I didn't want anything to happen to her if she ate some of it," he said.

"Ouch, gardening is a harrrd job, and that wouldn't be a very good way to show herrr you like herrr," she replied.

"Then I met a strange Tarutaru in Port Jeuno. He told me he had valuable jewelry for sale and tricked me into buying an imitation Roundel Earring. He even said it belonged to the advisor of Tzee Xicu, Soo Luma the Ascended," he said.

"How could you tell it wasn't rrreal?" she asked, scowling.

"I showed the earring to my Moogle when I got home. He used his kupowers to wrap it when it broke into tiny pieces, and he told me it wasn't authentic. I was pretty upset about it," he replied.

"Wow, did you find that naughty Tarrrutarrru and get your gil back?" she asked.

"Let's just say he won't be selling any imitation goods for a long, long time..." he answered, smiling mischievously.

"Sharrrak, what did you do?" she asked.

"What? He's in Bostaunieux Oubliette! I know better than that," he responded, with a chuckle.

"You'd betterrr know betterrr!" she said, giggling along with him.

They sat there silently as the tavern cleared out, sharing a pitcher of melon juice. Sharak could hear Chymerial and her friends from across the room now.

"Your birthday is tomorrow, Chyme," said Kedamonah, grinning at her.

"Yup yup, I can't wait!" said Chymerial, taking a bite of her icecap rolanberry.

"So, what am I getting for you this year?" asked Kedamonah, taking a sip of his drink.

"Oh, you guys... you don't have to get me anything!" she said, stammering.

"Every year, you tell us not to get you anything but we always do, so just make it easy on us!" said Kuula, leaning back against the wall.

"Okay, okay... if you guys really want to get me something, then I guess something cheap and easy to get would be fine. So I don't want something that's small, shiny or expensive!" she said, staring at them and pointing her finger toward them.

Those three words resounded in Sharak's mind.

_Small!_

_Shiny!_

_Expensive!_

He had an idea.

_"If she says she doesn't want her friends to get her something small, shiny or expensive, then I'll have to be the one to get her something like that!" _he thought to himself.

"Tuh, I've got to run! I think I've got the perfect idea!" said Sharak, beaming as he took his chapeau in hand and slowly made his way around the room. Not wanting to be noticed by Chymerial, he ducked under the bar, startling Yoskolo.

"Sharak, what are you doing?" asked Yoskolo.

"Sorry, but I've got to go! Here!" he replied, handing Yoskolo some gil. As he tried to move past Yoskolo, he knocked over a few glasses, causing them to shatter and drawing the attention of the few left in the tavern. He didn't stop to look and darted out of the door to Lower Jeuno.

"Huh? Was that... Sharak?" asked Chymerial, taken aback.

"Why would that be him?" asked Kuula.

"I just haven't seen him in a long time, so I've been worried," she said.

"I'm sure he's just been busy with his linkshell," said Kedamonah, shrugging.

"Yeah... I hope you're right," she said, taking another quick glance at the entrance of the Merry Minstrel.

Yoskolo looked at the broken glass and then noticed that Sharak handed him a 50,000 gil piece.

"That kid has lost his mind," he said, shaking his head.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: Square Enix owns everything.**

* * *

><p><strong>The Thought That Counts - Chapter 2<strong>

Sharak was still running when he left the Merry Minstrel, crossing the stone pavers of Lower Jeuno. He was tempted to use the auction house there, but he thought it might not be the best idea.

_"They might spot me if they see me here, I'd better head up to Ru'Lude Gardens or something," _he thought, darting toward the Guidestone.

He ran up the long staircase to Upper Jeuno where he stopped for a moment to catch his breath, then darted up the stairs to Ru'Lude Gardens, the uppermost layer of Jeuno. He made it a few moments later, drawing the attention of the ducal guardsman, Morlepiche.

"Is everything okay, adventurer?" asked Morlepiche.

"Yeah, sorry, I'm just in a bit of a hurry!" he explained, stopping to rest for a moment.

"I'll kindly ask that you remember running is not permitted in the Ru'Lude Gardens," said Morlepiche, coldly.

"Alright, sorry! I've got to go though!" he replied, walking off hurriedly.

_"Sheesh... I think it's time I get some Crimson Cuisses,"_ he thought to himself, sighing.

He approached the auction house and was greeted by the friendly clerk.

"Welcome! How may I help you today, sir?" asked the clerk, opening the registry of items.

"Hmm... do you have any... Serket Rings?" asked Sharak, looking off at the distant clouds while he thought to himself.

"I'm sorry, sir, the last was sold four hours ago," said the clerk.

"Darn... how about an Aqua Ring?" he asked.

"I'm sorry, sir, there are none for auction," said the clerk.

"What about an Aceso's Choker?" asked Sharak, desperately.

"There seem to be four up for auction at the moment, each starting at 2,000,000 gil," said the clerk.

_"Two million? Ouch, that's a little over what I've made from all the quests I've done, and I don't have any time to do more! What am I gonna do?" _he thought to himself, dismayed.

"Would you like to bid on the Aceso's Choker, sir?" asked the clerk.

"Sigh... no thanks, I won't be able to afford it. Can I check the registry?" he asked, frowning at the clerk.

He skimmed through the registry, reading through the long list of neckpieces and earrings, not quite sure what to get. He started to read down the list of rings when something caught his eye.

_"The Dawnsoul Ring has a beautiful name, it'd be a fitting gift for Chymerial,"_ he thought to himself, finally deciding on the best present.

"What about a Dawnsoul Ring? Are there any up for auction?" he asked, excited by this promising prospect.

"I'm sorry, sir, there aren't any Dawnsoul Rings for auction," said the clerk.

"Alright... thanks," he said, sighing deeply as he slowly walked away from the auction house, staring at the ground as he went.

_"I promised myself that I wouldn't see Chy again until I had the perfect gift for her, and now I've failed. I probably won't even be able to get her a gift in time for her birthday, this sucks..." _he said as he walked down the steps toward the Mog House. _"I just wanted to do better than I did last year. Yeah, she liked my gift, but... it wasn't anything special. This was my one chance."_

He pressed the switch and walked onto the elevator, staring up at the sky of Ru'Lude Gardens as the elevator slowly descended.

"Welcome back, Master, kupo!" said his moogle as it spun in delight."Hey..." said Sharak, dropping his chapeau onto the table before walking over to his bed and falling backward onto it."What's wrong?" asked the moogle as it flew across the room toward Sharak's bed.

"Well, I've been avoiding Chy until I could find the perfect present for her, but everything I could think of was either not for sale or just too expensive. To make things worse, her birthday is tomorrow! I'm just gonna look like an idiot after avoiding her for so long," he said, staring up at the curved ceiling.

"I'm sorry to hear that, Master, what did you decide on?" asked the moogle.

"Well, I decided on a Dawnsoul Ring, because it looked and sounded as beautiful as she does..." said Sharak, slowly drifting off to sleep.

"Well, if you can afford one, why don't you just buy the materials and craft it yourself? Then you can use a special crystal to sign it for her, kupo!" said his moogle, spinning around gleefully once again.

With that, Sharak sat up quickly, eyes widening as he said, "You're right! Why didn't I think of that?"

He jumped up and crossed the room to his chest of personal belongings, opening it to find a mess of various parchments, quills, used magic scrolls and empty ether vials. He pulled out a massive book from the bottom and set it on the table. Opening to the index, he found the section he needed and quickly skimmed through the massive and tattered pages.

"I found it!" he said, looking at his moogle.

"Kupo-po! Can you craft it, Master?" asked the moogle.

"Hmm... it's goldsmithing," he said, reading down the page, "and synergy, ugh..."

Reading that hit him like a ton of bricks right in the stomach.

"L-let me see what materials are needed for the synthesis," he said, stammering.

"Let's see, kupo... you'll need one Phrygian Ring... and one Light Gem," said the moogle, running its paw down the page as it read.

"Hmm, well that doesn't seem TOO bad..." he said, continuing to read along.

"I wouldn't be so sure about that," said the moogle, "Phrygian Rings are difficult to craft and must be very expensive... and Light Gems are crafted from Light Geodes, kupo."

"Well, I don't have a lot of time! I've got to try to make this, it's only eight hours until her birthday! I've got to head out to the auction house, thanks moogle!" he said. With that, he ran to the door and left his Mog House, his moogle watching from the opened book.

"Oh dear... What is Master getting into now?" asked the moogle.


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: Square Enix owns everything.**

* * *

><p><strong>The Thought That Counts - Chapter 3<strong>

"Thanks a lot!" said Sharak cheerfully. He'd just purchased a Phrygian Ring and a Light Gem from a traveling merchant. "Geez, 1,000,000 gil for these two items. I'm lucky I was able to barter with him or I wouldn't be able to make this for Chy," he said, holding the ring and gem in hand.

He pulled a mythril pocket watch from his tabard's pocket, reading 20:17 from its small dials.

"Damn! I can't believe it took so long to find these things. If only they were up for auction instead..." he muttered to himself as he headed back to his Mog House. He passed the Guidestone when he ran into someone, knocking them to the ground before he fell beside them.

"Sorry! I didn't mean to knock you down, I just wasn't paying attention," he said as he climbed to his feet before looking at who he'd run into. Panic washed over him as he realized who it was. It was none other than Chymerial. She sat on the ground, lowering her orison hood and moving her misplaced hair from her face. "Sharak? Is that you?" she asked as she gazed up at who'd run into her.

"Y-yeah, I'm really sorry about that. I should have been more careful," he said, extending his arm toward her as to help her to her feet.

"It's alright, it's my fault. I should have been more careful," she said as she took his hand and stood up.

"Are you alright? You fell pretty hard..." he asked, concerned.

"Yes, I'll be fine. We've both been through worse, right? Nothing a Cure can't take care of!" she answered, casting Cura on the two of them.

_"She's always been so strong, yet so kind and thoughtful. It must be why I like her so much," _he thought, causing himself to smile.

"So... why were you in such a hurry?" she asked as she patted her bliaut clean.

He'd forgotten all about the task at hand, quickly making sure he had the ring and gem in hand before saying, "Well, you see... I, uh... was checking up on a rumor I'd heard about a recent string of notorious monster sightings!"

"Really?" she asked excitedly, "What type of monster, and where was it sighted?"

"Er... It's c-called... Yilbegan!" he said, saying the first name that came to mind.

"Yilbegan? You mean... the abyssal dragon that wanders throughout Vana'diel?" she asked with surprise.

"Well... we are level 90 now, it's possible that I could defeat it!" he said, his panic rising.

"Well, let me go along then! I've never seen it before, it would be really fun!" she said, cheerfully supporting his endeavor.

"Y-you can't! I want to see if I can solo it, and whether or not my training has paid off," he said quickly, dismissing her suggestion.

Sharak turned quickly, heading toward the Mog House and said, "It's alright, I know you've got a big day tomorrow. You should get some rest, you don't want to sleep in and miss your birthday!"

Chymerial stood there silently, watching as he ascended the stairs and walked across the bridge to the Mog Houses. "_Something isn't right... he's never turned down the chance to spend time with me. He must be up to something. I just hope everything is okay..." _she thought.

"_Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!" _Sharak thought to himself as he entered his Mog House, "_Why did I act so stupidly? I should have paid attention to where I was going. She probably knows I'm up to something, but I can't let her know it has to do with her present."_

"What's wrong, kupo?" asked his Moogle, hovering in the center of the room.

"I just ran into Chymerial... literally! I wasn't paying attention to where I was going and I might have spoiled the whole thing!" said Sharak, placing the ring and gem on the table as he paced the room.

"Master! You don't have the time to worry about something like that now! It's almost midnight, kupo, it's almost her birthday!" said the moogle, flapping its wings as it flew toward the table.

"Yeah, you're right. I only have one chance to make this happen. May the goddess Altana bless me with her kindness," he said, picking up the ring and gem then leaving. He exited his Mog House to Port Jeuno and made his way to the synergy pots near the airship terminals.

"Welcome! How may I help you today?" asked the Synergy Enthusiast.

"Hey... well, uh... I was wondering if I could possibly synergize something?" said Sharak, nervously looking around and at the synergy pot in front of him. He had no idea what he was getting himself into.

"What would you like to craft today, sir?" asked the Enthusiast.

Sharak held up the ring and gemstone, both shining brightly underneath the moonlit sky. "I'd like to make a Dawnsoul Ring with these items. That is possible, right?" he asked as he placed them into the furnace.

"Yes, using both Goldsmithing and Synergy, you'll be able to synthesize a Dawnsoul Ring using these items. What ranks are your Goldsmithing and Synergy, sir?" asked the Enthusiast.

"Huh? Well... rank four Goldsmithing, and um... rank zero Synergy." he replied as he closed the lid to the synergy pot.

The Synergy Enthusiast let out a small gasp and stammered, "B-but sir! Your ranks are just too low! You won't be able to synthesize these two items into a Dawnsoul Ring, I'm afraid."

"I know, but... I promised myself I would make this ring, no matter the cost so I've got to try at the very least. It's really important to me, because it's for someone special," he replied, sure that there was no other way.

The Synergy Enthusiast stood silently, doubtful that Sharak could properly synergize the two items together to make the ring. "Are you sure, sir?" he asked Sharak as he regretfully prepared the furnace.

"Yeah, I'm sure," said Sharak as he checked a small bag of fewell. "What do I need to do to make it synthesize the ring?"

"Well, you see... you need to have fewell in order to control the elemental properties of the steam inside the furnace. As the item you wish to craft is synergizing, each elemental fewell added can help it to either successfully finish, or reduce your chance to make the item properly. Adding too much of a single element can contaminate the furnace, causing the synergy to fail," said the Enthusiast.

"I see... well, I think I understand. I guess I'm ready to start," he replied, walking closer to the furnace. "I'll just add some of these to start the synergy."

He poured a few fewell into the pot, hoping that it would begin to work. He stood there silently, looking over his shoulder to make sure nobody he knew could see what he was doing. A few minutes passed, and nothing had begun to synergize, so he opened the bag of fewell and poured in as much fire fewell as he could, hoping it would progress the synergy.

'Sir! You're adding too much fire fewell to the furnace! You're going to make it overload," said the Enthusiast, panicking.

"Huh? What do you mean?" he asked, noticing a leak of gas from the furnace. It was a deep red hue, but began to change to a vibrant green.

"Quickly! Add ice fewell to suppress the fluctuation of internal pressure!" shouted the Enthusiast.

He fumbled with the bag of fewell, dropping a few to his feet. Bending over to retrieve them, he looked up just in time to notice an explosion of green and red hues knocking him backward, sending him a few feet from the furnace.

"Ouch... I wasn't... quite... expecting that..." he said, trying to lift himself to his feet.

A few nearby Synergists and the Enthusiast rushed to his side, "Sir, are you alright?" they asked, helping him to his feet.

"Yeah, I'm okay... I didn't realize... this would be so difficult," he said, catching his breath. He stood there for a moment before remembering, "Oh, no, the ring!" He limped toward the furnace and tried to shut it off.

The Enthusiast rushed over and powered down the furnace, opening the lid to allow the steam to escape, a mix of various hues rising into the sky. Sharak reached down into the pot and pulled out the ring and gem, warm to the touch. "They're a little burnt... are they still okay?" he asked, feeling defeated.

"Your items are contaminated with impurities, but they can still be cleansed using the proper fewell," replied the Enthusiast, "but sir... I'm not sure you should continue. Your rank is far too low for you to successfully craft this item!"

"No! I can't stop, not while I'm this close..." replied Sharak, tears welling in his eyes. He knew failing now would only result in the disappointment from not only himself, but Chymerial as well.

Seeing the tears streaking Sharak's ashen face, the Enthusiast turned and called out, "Mariyz! Go fetch the Engineers. We have a task to complete."

"Yes, sir, right away, sir!" replied Mariyz, rushing down the street toward the other synergy furnaces.

Sharak smiled meekly, wiping the tears from his face before saying, "Thank you."

They waited patiently, Sharak purchasing more fewell and making sure they'd be easier for him to grab from the small pouch. Hearing footsteps, he looked up to see a few other synergists rushing toward them.

"What's the situation?" asked Mariyz, opening the lid to the furnace, "This needs to be cleaned before any synergy can continue." Mariyz wiped soot from the walls of the furnace while the Enthusiast explained the situation to the other Synergists.

"We'll check the balance of elemental concentration, internal pressure, the buildup of impurities, and the furnace's durability. Just add fewell and operate the furnace as necessary," said the Enthusiast."Alright, I'm ready..." said Sharak, placing the ring and gem back into the furnace before closing the lid.

They struggled for nearly twenty minutes, leaking gas and an array of overloads causing Sharak to suffer a number of ailments. He panted heavily, still injured from the earlier accident, but refusing to let it get in the way of the ring's completion. The furnace rocked violently as the synergy continued when suddenly, it stopped. The synergy was a success. They all let out a cheer as Sharak opened the lid, smoke and colored gas rising into the sky. Desperate to see the result of his labor, he reached into the pot, burning his hand but successfully pulling out the Dawnsoul Ring.

He smiled at them as they cheered and patted him on the back. He'd really done it, all of his hard work had paid off. He opened his hand to see the ring and gasped loudly before falling to the ground. The earlier furnace overloads left him paralyzed and poisoned, rendering him unconscious.

They gasped and struggled to lift him from the ground, but his body was exhausted and there was no way he would wake in his condition. They picked up the ring which had fallen to the ground to see what upset him so greatly.

It was not beautifully golden but burned and chipped, the gem not quite in place. The engraving inset did not read Sharak, but "SHAR", and even that was barely legible. They sighed deeply as they placed it into his pocket, calling for the ducal guards to bring him to the clinic.


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: Square Enix owns everything.**

* * *

><p><strong>The Thought That Counts - Chapter 4<strong>

Sharak opened his eyes, letting out a small yelp as he quickly sat up before falling backward onto the bed. He didn't know where he was until he heard a familiar voice.

"Master! Please rest, kupo-po," said his moogle, fluttering over toward the bed.

"Ugh... what happened?" he asked, turning to look at the moogle.

"I'm glad you're finally awake, Master! Are you alright?" asked the moogle.

"Where are we? I dunno..." he replied, remembering his failure.

"We're in Upper Jeuno, kupo. Doctor Monberaux had you brought to your Mog House so you could rest," said the moogle before reaching into its bag and pulling out the burnt ring. "I tried using my kupowers, and even requested the aid of the Magian moogles, but we were unable to fix your ring, Master..."

Sharak stared at the ceiling, a look of dismay on his face. "Thanks, I appreciate it. I just don't know if I should even give it to her, now..."

"You should, Master! You put all of your heart into this ring, kupo, and you did it all by yourself. I know she would appreciate that," said the moogle cheerfully.

"Yeah... maybe." With that, Sharak tried once again to sit up, resting his feet on the floor. He tried standing but fell backward onto the bed, still in great pain.

"Ugh..." he stammered as he sat there.

"Don't move so much, Master! You've been greatly injured by the overloading furnace. Monberaux said you'd KOed and had to be hurried to his office, kupo," said the moogle concernedly.

"I see... what time is it?"

"13:04, kupo!" replied his moogle, pointing toward the window to show mid-afternoon sunlight streaming in.

"What? Why didn't you tell me? I need to give Chy her gift!" he bellowed as he took the ring from his moogle and ran to the door. "Thanks for helping me."

Sharak quickly put on his Empyrean armor, a rare and special set of armor that he seldom wore. This was a special occasion and he wanted to look his best for Chymerial. With that, he opened the door and left.

"He never listens, kupo..." said the moogle, with a sigh.

He left to Port Jeuno, crossing the bridge to the street. He pulled the ring from his pocket and placed it into a velvet covered box, wrapping it tightly in a silken bow. He walked down the stairs, adjusting the ribbon when he noticed a group of people near the Guidestone. It was none other than Chymerial and her friends. He noticed she was receiving various gifts inside large, ornate boxes and wrappings. He could feel his heart beating quickly as he held the small velvet box in hand.

_"How could my gift compete with those? There's no chance! I can't show her my gift now, it'll just disappoint her..."_ he thought, so he ducked past them and ran down the stairs toward Qufim Island. There was a large group of people blocking the exit to Jeuno, and he couldn't return to his Mog House, so he cast Teleport-Dem to leave as quickly as he could.

He arrived in Konschtat, dust blowing everywhere. He knew if Chymerial had seen him, she would try to follow so he was glad for the duststorm. He rented a chocobo from Plaiaude and rode north to Valkurm Dunes, the usual place to be for starting adventurers.

Riding through the dunes had never been so difficult. He could feel every bump in the sand in his body, still suffering from great pain. He noticed lots of new adventurers, many of them couples fighting together to survive through the dunes. It brought a smile to his face, but he frowned sadly when he remembered how he felt.

He rode through a long tunnel and crossed the Siren Sands to Selbina, a small fishing village in the middle of Valkurm. He dismounted his chocobo and walked through the gates, seeing many fishermen and people enjoying themselves. It was a warm day with a strong breeze, perfect for a day on the water. He could hear the waves breaking on the shore as he walked through the small village.

"_This is where we'd first met_," he thought, smiling as he made his way to the pier.

* * *

><p>"Thank you for all of the wonderful gifts!" said Chymerial, smiling at her friends as she held a bulk of different packages.<p>

Her friends waved good bye as she made her way to her Mog House, climbing each step carefully.

"_I got a lot of wonderful gifts this year, I'm really happy to have such wonderful friends_," she thought to herself as she crossed the bridge.

"Hello, kupo! Happy birthday, Master! Did you get any nice presents today?" asked her moogle, taking a few packages and placing them on the table for her.

"Yeah, a lot of them are rare and exclusive, they're really nice..." said Chymerial, placing the rest of her presents on the table before pulling off her cap.

"What's wrong, kupo? You seem sad! Today's not the kind of day for that, kupo-po," said her moogle, circling around Chymerial.

"Well, it's just... I haven't spoken to Sharak in so long. I saw him last night, and I thought he'd want to spend time with me for my birthday, but... he didn't seem to care. He's usually the first person to tell me to have a 'Happy Birthday', but not this year," she said, frowning as she played with with the wrapping of the Anhur Robe she'd received from Kedamonah.

"I'm sorry to hear that, Master, but I'm sure he'll do something special for your birthday, kupo! The day is not over yet!" said her moogle, spinning happily.

"I hope you're right... Maybe I should try to find him and talk to him," she said, putting her cap back on. "There's a few places he could be, I'm sure I can find him in time."

"Be careful, it is your birthday after all, kupo!"

She exited out to Port Jeuno and teleported herself, sure to find him.

* * *

><p>Sharak was sitting on the edge of the pier. No ferries were scheduled for the day so he was alone in a usually crowded spot. He could see the ocean for malms, the waves crashing onto the rocks beside him.<p>

"I'm such a fool, thinking I could really do this for her..." he said to himself, looking down at the small velvet box in hand. "I can't believe I really thought I could make this."

He sat there with welling tears in his eyes, a single tear falling onto the velvet box. He reached out to the water and was ready to drop it when he heard a familiar voice.

"Sharak? Is that you?" called the voice.

He pulled his hand back, turning to see who was there. It was none other than Chymerial, walking down the steps toward him.

"Sharak, what's going on? You've been acting so strangely, and you didn't even see me for my birthday," she said, crossing the pier to him.

"I... um... well... you see..." he stammered before letting out a long sigh. "I wanted to get you the perfect present for your birthday. I wasn't trying to avoid you or anything, I just wanted to have something really special before I saw you again," he said, wiping the tears from his face before she could see.

"Sharak... you didn't have to get me anything. You've helped me to become a better adventurer, and that's probably the best gift I've ever received, so... I wasn't expecting you to get me anything," she said, sitting beside him.

They sat there silently for a moment, the sun setting on the distant horizon, faint glimmers of stars in the sky.

"When I first met you, Chy... I was scared and heartbroken. I didn't know what I was getting myself into. But then something happened... I felt happiness. I felt a rush of excitement everytime we spent time together, it was like being reborn. Along the way, something inside me was blossoming, like a flower, and it's been in full bloom for a while now. Everything about you just makes me happy. You're funny, and honest, and the cutest thing about you is when you laugh. We could be in a sticky situation, in danger, but we always manage to escape because you're there."

He lowered his head, gazing at the water beneath them, now reflecting the light of the many stars above. He closed his eyes for a moment, just savoring the moment with her.

"What I'm trying to say is... even though it may have been wrong... I fell in lo-" he began, but his sentence was cut short. He felt Chymerial's arms reaching around him as she hugged him tightly.

"Thank you... for everything, Sharak," she said as she rested her head on his shoulder.

He was shocked at first, but then felt great relief. He placed an arm on her shoulder and they sat there for a while, just watching the last bit of the sun recede beyond the horizon. After a few minutes, they slowly broke apart and sat there. He pulled the velvet box from his pocket and handed it to her.

"Here, I tried to make you something special, for your birthday. I want you to have it," he said.

"Tried? What do you mean?" she asked as she slowly removed the ribbon.

"I just hope you'll still like it, open it," he said, looking down at the water once again.

She opened the box and saw the charred ring, the gem glittering faintly beneath the moonlight.

"What is this, Sharak...?" she asked, removing it from the box.

"Well... I wanted to find a present as beautiful as you, and the Dawnsoul Ring sounded like a good fit," he replied.

She smiled for a moment, then smacked the back of his head while letting out a small giggle.

"Hey! What was that for?" he asked, nearly falling from the edge of the pier.

"You're such a dork, Sharak. Don't you know that Dawnsoul Ring is for Charisma, not Mind?" she said as she continued to giggle.

He froze there in place, a wave of panic washing over him. He'd completely forgotten that the statistics for the ring were light-based and thus granted Charisma. How could he forget that water was Mind based?

"I... uh... didn't know that! Heh heh..." he stammered, feeling his face grow hot as it reddened.

"This is an Aquasoul Ring, which grants a Mind boost," she said, flashing the ring on her finger. It gave off a beautiful blue glow underneath the moonlight. "I can't believe you tried to make me a Dawnsoul Ring, these things are really expensive. How much did you pay for this?"

"Um... I'm not really sure, I can't remember," he replied, not sure whether to tell her or not.

With that, she smacked him on the back of the head once more, nearly causing him to fall into the water below.

"These go for nearly 1,000,000 gil! I can't believe you would spend so much money on me, you know I didn't want you to do that," she said with a pout.

"And you know me... I never listen! Heh..." he said, flashing a cheesy grin.

Sharak explained the events of the previous day to her, causing a variety of emotions to well up inside her, and a few smacks here and there for him, too.

"So, you tried to craft something for me even though it seemed impossible? I knew you were crazy, but not this much!" she said, chuckling beside him.

"I know, huh?" he replied with a laugh, but stopped quickly, still in a bit of pain. "Look, I know we kind of went our separate ways these past few months, but... I'm always here for you. That's never going to change. You have a special place in my heart, Chy."

"Thank you, Sharak," she said, smiling.

"Oh, I forgot! Happy Birthday, Chy!" he said, smiling back.

"Thank you."

They turned to face the water, the moonlight illuminating the sea. The twinkling stars overhead shined brightly as they sat there silently. They smiled at eachother, and with a few giggles, it seemed like a perfect night until a linkpearl went off inside Chymerial's pocket. She pulled it out and placed it to her ear.

"_Hey Chyme, we're going to Abyssea. Do you want to come with us?" _asked Kedamonah's familiar voice.

She moved the pearl to her mouth and said, "Sure! I'll be there soon, don't start without me!"

They sat there quietly for a few moments, an awkward pause now changing the air of their conversation.

"So... you don't hate the gift?" asked Sharak, trying to lighten the mood.

"I don't hate it, you dork, I love it," she replied.

"I was afraid you wouldn't like it, so that's why I didn't want to show you. I saw all the other gifts you got and it doesn't even compare," he said.

With that, Chymerial let out a small sigh. "It's never about the gift, it's the thought that counts, you know? I will always appreciate all of the trouble you went through for me, because that's most important."

That seemed to lift the weight of the world off his shoulders, and he felt better.

"But... I've got to go. Thank you so much for the gift, Sharak. I really appreciate all of the effort you put into it," she said as she stood up.

He stood up and they hugged eachother, saying their good byes as she walked off. He stood at the pier, watching her climb the steps toward the Nomad Moogles.

"You're always seeking the next step in your adventure, and you've surpassed me in many ways. I'm glad," he said, turning to face the moonlit sea once again.

* * *

><p>Chymerial walked into her Mog House, her moogle greeting her.<p>

"Welcome back, kupo! Did you find him?" the moogle asked.

"Yeah... he was in Selbina. That's where we first met," she replied quietly. She reached into her pocket and placed Sharak's gift onto the table, the ribbon slightly crumpled.

"Is that the gift Sharak gave you, kupo?" asked the moogle.

"Yeah, it is," she replied, opening the box.

"Oh my, kupo-po! It's burnt and unusable! You won't be able to wear that, I'm afraid," said the moogle. sadly.

"I know, but he did everything he could to make this for me. A gift can't get anymore perfect that that," she said, closing the box.

"That's good, kupo!" said the moogle.

They nodded in agreement for a moment before she said, "I have to go meet up with my linkshell, please take care of the gift."

"I certainly will, kupo!" said the moogle.

* * *

><p>Sharak was still in Selbina, his "mission" was complete. Even though all of his hard work didn't quite pay off, he was okay with it, because Chymerial was too. In the end, that's all that mattered to him, and that's all he ever wanted. He sat there quietly, relaxing after days of hard work. He stood up to head home when a thought struck him. "Damn... what am I gonna do next year?" he asked himself, sighing.<p>

**The End**

* * *

><p><strong>Happy Birthday Chymerial!<strong>

This fanfic is for you, I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it!


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